Platform-spring suspension for automobiles



May 29, 1923. 1,457,138

A. J. BARRON ET AL PLATFORM SPRING SUSPENSION FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept, 12, 1922 3 SheetsSheet Andraw J. garhon Howard E mow May.29, 1923.

A. J. BARRON ET AL PLATFORM SPRING SUSPENSION FOR AUTOMOBILES Filei Sept. 12, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 an umflozs Andraw Jfiirron Howard ECrow,

attorney mm mm H mm .a mm NM. I I I I I I I -L. m m *m Rm %m b AA ait l..- EM. m N E May 29, 1923.

A. J. BARRON ET AL PLATFORM SPRING SUSPENSION FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 12

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 \T 1 .11 III .p

Howard ECrow 5 51 a W attorney Patented May 29, 1923.

UNITED? stares;

j A 13,457,131; i

ran CINCINNATf Honsn snon'a IRON COMPANY, A coRronA'rIoN ononro;

"PLATFQBM-SPRING" SUSPENSION FOBAU'VI'OMOBILEYS; i 1

Application filed September 12, 1922. Serial No. 587,732.

To all whomit may concern: I v P Be it known that we, ANDREW J. BARRON and I'IOWARD ECRow, residents of Cincinnati, Ohio, citizens of the UnitedStates, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platform-Spring Suspensions for Automobiles, of which'the following is a specification.

Our invention has for vide novel and improved platformspring suspension attachments forthe Ford touring automobile and also for the light Ford delivery car, which uses the same formof chassis; greatly improved results being obtained by the use of the platform spring suspension attachments of our invention, .as demonstrated by roadtests whiQh' have been made.

With this object in view,nthe invention :re-

sides in the novel construction, combination,

and arrangement of structural" parts, as hereinafter fully described in the bodylof this specification, summarized in the claims, and disclosed in the drawings.

The drawings, forming part of this 'specification, illustrate our preferred form of embodiment of theplatform-spring suspension attachments, it being understood that our "invention is susceptible of structural changes andvthe employment of mechanical equivalents'. v The difierentfigures or views" shown in the drawingsmaybe briefly described as follows Figure l is a top plan viewof our platv form-spring suspension adapted for, Ford automobiles; i

Figure 2 is a view in of;

Figure of}, a, a Figure it is a fragmentary detail viewof the rear axle-casing showing in sectionpart of the device for suspending one of the} side springs from the axle brake-housing;

Figure 5 is adetail view,in;end elevation, of-thepart of the side spring-suspension deside elevation there- 3Iis a view in end-elevation there- Fi'gi'6 is-a fragmentary detached detail view, in perspective, of the suspension mechaism. for ,thewfront ends of the side springs; a Figure '(is a fragmentary detail view, in

its objectto pro perspective, of two longitudinal chassis-bars and the mechanical means forsecuring them together; and i Figure ,8 isa detached, detail view, in'perspeetlve, of a reinforc ng element. Referring, now, in detail to the drawlngsz NDREW J. BARRON AND HOWARD n; oaow, or CINCINNATI, o'firo', AssIenons hroi i 1 designates the rear {cross spring, 2, a

2 the 'sideorlongitudinalsprings.

thereof, the length of said bar being substantially less than that of said spring;

A sectional boxing, comprisingthe' memportion thereof,the member 5 .having the."

lower curved faces,- against which the top I v ofthe cross-spring 1 seats. A plate 7 having a curved upper face, as shown, is adapted to bear against the underfsurface'of the cross-spring, and bolts 8 passing through i x '60 3 lesignat'es a supporting-bar for the cross spring, said supporting-bar being 'dis-' posed above, and in the vertical plane of, v said spring and extending longitudinally said boxing 4' 5 and-through said plate'iifl tion.

to" said supporting me berer Extending transversely of the bars 1 13," 13

and preferably in the" same vertical plane; as the rear axle'is a channel-bar 9,"which' 9 may be secured; toward'its' ends, to the are providedwith-nuts 8', which are tight -en e1d up to, hold the 7 parts; relative -posif At "each end of the cross spring 'ing member 3 is 'a' longitudii ally-extending .bar13; which is secured, "at one end/thereof,

bars 13, 13, by bolts 14,"which pass through I said: channel-bar and, preferably,- through f blocks 15 in, the channelof, the bar'9, and through said bars 13,;13] Two of. such "-65 blocks 15 are provided, disposedin thechanof the latter to said barsf13, 13.= :Nutsl l' are screwed on the bolts 14., Transverse lips 1-3 may be ProVidedontheb'ars13, 1'3, to'- 1-00 nel of the bar 9 at the pointsof attachment yone .,end thereof, against the front depending sideflange of channel-barQ ,(said-;'-

channel-bar 9 being disposed on top of the angle-bars 13, 13 with its side-flanges projecting downward and bearing against said angle -;bars),' and may be suitablysecured thereto, as by rivets 12. Each of the channel-bars 11, 11 is disposed with its parallel iflangesprojectinghorizontally. The chassis channel-bars 11, 11 may also be suitably secured to the angle-bars 13, 13, preferably by twoconnecting plates 16 Tl": eted. as shown at 17 to the depending flanges of the angle-bars 13, 131" One ofsai'd connecting plates 16 connects each of the chanheir-harsh with its adjacent angle-bar 13. Eaclrconnecting plate 131 s provided with a lateral apertured ear 18'and with a slot 19. Hook-bolts 20 pass through the slot 19 and the aperture in the ear 18 of each plate 16 and hookover the free edges of the horizontal parallel flanges of the channelbar 11, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Nuts 21 are screwed on the threaded ends of the shanks of the hoolr bolts 20, thus securing the chassis channel-bars 11, 11 tightly to said connect plates 16, 16.

Depending from each of the chassis channel-bars 11,11. isa hanger or support 21 preferably having a longitudinally-extending reinforcing rib 22. 'The hanger is expanded at oneiend to provide a head 23, provided. with two pairs of openings, and with a rib 30. .U-bolts 24, 241 pass around the chassis channel bars 11, 11, and project through said openings in the head 23, and nuts 24 are tightened up on the threaded ends of said bolts to secure said'hanger in position.- At the point of attachment of'each hanger 21 to the channel-bar 11, a box or plug 29 is. fitted in the channel of the bar 11, so as to strengthen the structure at this point. The box or. plug 29 is peculiarly formed, 1 and. as shown, preferably comprises a short length ofchannehbar, having lateral, transverse flanges 29, 29 projecting oppo sitelyfrom the side flanges thereof. Inassernbling -the channel-member 29 and they bracket 21 with the channel-bar 11, the channehmember is slipped into the channel of thebar 11, with the free edges of the side flanges of the 'clianneLmember abutting the ,body portion or web portion of the channelilbal'jll, arid with the lateral flan es 29, .9 'pro iecting beyond the free edges =lianges of the channel-bar 1 1. The h'e'ad 23 of the side of't-hebracket 2l fis now placed 'against the body or web-portion of thechannel-member '29, said head fitting between the flanges29. -29fandbearii1g threagainst. There is, thus; flan interlocking action between the head 23 and the 'channel nie'rnber 29, and the latter is held against independent sliding move- ."ment longitudinally of the channehbar 11. "Each hanger 21; carries at the end thereof oppos1te 'the head- 23, a hub portion 25,

rear axle-housing provided "with a through which extends a shaft 26. The shaft carries, at each end, a shackle supporting part 27. the shackles or links 28, 28, at one end thereof, being articulated with said part 27, and said shackles, at the other end'thereof, being articulated with the front end of the adjacent side spring 2. c a

A saddle-member 3 1, transversely curved to conform to the curvilinear contour of the axlehousing 32 (as most clearly shown in Fig. 4), and having a lateral projection 33 provided with an opening 3 1 registering with the opening through the usual perch hole in the Ford "automobile brake-drum housing 35, is seated on the axle-housing, at each end thereof. A bolt 34' passin through said registering apertures secures the saddler meinber against creeping, either in'a d1rec= tion longitudinally of the axle-housing or by turning around said axle-housing.

The saddle-member 31 extends half way around theaxle-housing .32, and a coInple-c I mental'saddle-inember 36 is disposed beneath the saddle-member 31 and also passes half way around the axle-housing. The two saddle-members 31 and 36, thus being in con tact with each other, bolts 37 are passed 7 throughalined openings therein to secure the.saddle inembers together. V Each of the s1de-spr1ngs 2 passes beneath the corresponding or. ad acent saddle-member 3 6, and U-bolts 38 pass over the saddle-mem her 31 and extend down on each side of the spring 2 and passthrough. a plate 39, nuts Oibeing tightened up on the threaded ends of said Ll-bolts. Preferably, each of the saddle-portions 31 is circumferentially grooved,

shown at 41, forni ing aseat for U- i Having thus fully described, our inven- I tion, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Leters-Patent is:

1. In an automotive vehicle having a end havingan opening, a saddle on said relative to said axle-housing, and means for supporting said side 7 spr ng from said saddle. V I 2. In an automotive vehicle havingarear a e-h usi g. Provided w engedcend having an opening, a Saddle on axlehousing and having a lateral projection bearing against saidfianged end, said pro-v jection having an opening registering with said flanged-end opening, saddle-securing means passing through said registering openings, 21 side spring underslung relative to said axle-housing, and means for supporting said side spring from said saddle.

3. In an automotive vehiclehaving a rear axle-housing, the combination of a side spring underslung relative to said axle housing, a chassis channel-bar, a reinforcing element disposed within the channel of said channel-bar and having lateral, transverse flanges projecting beyond the free edges of the side flanges of said channel-bar,

a hanger depending from said channel-bar lateral, transverse flanges projecting beyond the free edges of the side-flanges of said channel-bar, ahanger depending from said channel-bar andbearing against said reinforcing channel-bar element and fitting between the lateral flanges thereof, means ffor securing said hanger t'o said channelbar, and connections betweenthe lower end of said hanger and the front end of said.

spring. y 5. 11 an automotlve. vehicle, hav1ng a rear axle-houslng, the comblnatlon of two side springs underslung relativeto said axle-housing, two chassis-bars extending" longitudinally of saidfautomobile, hangers depending from said chassis-bars, connec-' tions betweenthe lower ends ofsaidhangers and the front ends of said side springs, a i

cross-spring articulated at its ends With the rear ends of said side springs, a; rearwardly-extending bar secured to each ofsaid chas sis-bars, and a: rear, transversely-extending bar secured to said rearwardly-extending bars and supporting said cross-spring.

6. In an automotive vehicle, havinga rear axle-housing, the combination of two 55 side springs underslung relative tosaid. axle-houslng, two chassis-bars extending longitudinally of said automotive vehicle, i

hangers dependin from said chassis-bars, a shaft supported by said hangers, means for articulating the front ends of said: side springs with the ends of said shaft, two

rearwardly-projecting bars, lates secured i to. said rearwardly-projecting bars, hookbolts projec'ting through said plates and engaging said chass'is-bars, a cross-spring articulated with the rear ends. of the side springs, and a rear, transversely-extending bar secured to said rearwardly-extending bars and supporting said cross spring.

In testimony whereof ;we'- hereunto aflix our signatures.

HOWARD E. CROW.

ANDREW J. BARRON 

